The Harder They Fall
by BendablePoseable
Summary: Shortish drabble. Alternative post 316 shooting storyline. L/P


'You did it'

The air is cold. Her body is trembling.

The comprehension culminates in her eyes, her pupils, two dilated black beads.

It's ferocious and horrifying and quite literally steals her breath.

He watches. Sweat trails down his forehead. He's caught. He's ensnared in a web of deceit and she _knows._

She sees.

She's unravelled all his lies to find the loathsome truth.

He feels a strange rush of relief and then it's gone. Replaced with fear and frustration and anger.

She's not meant to know. Why did she have to snoop around behind his back?

She won't keep silent. He knows she can't keep silent.

His vile crimes have her throwing up in the hallway because she's good.

She's good and he's evil and he'd convinced himself that she could make him better.

She had made him better. But now she knows the truth and she knows there's no saving the corrupt.

The taste of bile lingers on her tongue. It burns her throat. 'You're sick' She tells him and it's low and nothing reminiscent of her usual voice.

He doesn't disagree.

'You're fucking sick' She's shaking because she can't believe she's let this man back into her life. She can't believe she's let this man stand by her for the last two years, that she's allowed him to be a father figure to _her _little girl. That she's given her body to him and moved into his home when he is the very reason her daughter's father is buried underground.

It happens quickly.

He's gripping her arms and shaking her violently.

He doesn't want it to be this way and he tells her so. He tells her he's changed. He tells her he's changed for her. He tells her he's sorry.

She shakes her head and she screams that he'll never have anything to do with her or her family again. She screams that she won't rest until he is behind bars.

He lets go then, pushing her as he releases her forearms.

She looses her footing.

Her body tumbles down the staircase. Hits step after step after step. Bones crack. Head smashes against marble.

And then it's over. It's over so quickly. She is silenced. She's gone. It's finished.

He stands at the top of the stairs. The silence is piercing. Adrenaline is pumping through his veins.

It wasn't intentional. It wasn't like his brother's murder. It wasn't calculated. He'd not intended to kill this time.

But he doesn't feel pain or sorrow. He feels relief. An overwhelming sense of relief.

He stands there. His actions sinking in.

She's dead. He doesn't need to go and check her pulse to know that. There's no way her body could have survived such a violent fall. Her twisted limbs only emphasise that.

A puddle of blood is forming on the shiny floor, a crimson halo around her head.

She's gone. The only girl he ever loved is gone and he feels free. He's no longer burdened by the restraints of love. He's free.

His next actions are done without thought.

He works instinctively. He cleans up the mess he's just created.

He lifts her broken body. He puts her in her car. He drives it to the lake.

He doesn't leave until the vehicle is fully submerged and Karen Roe is well and truly gone.

The water swallows all his sins.

He can continue to pretend now. He can continue to pretend that he's everything this small town believes him to be.

He can continue to be the great and wonderful Dan Scott.

* * *

><p>It's all over the news for the next six months.<p>

It's the tragic story that brings the towns people to tears.

Keith Scott was murdered and his true love took her own life just two years later having fallen into a pit of grief, leaving her son to take care of his two year old sister.

Lily. Lily Roe Scott. She's too little to understand. Too little to comprehend that Mummy has gone and is never coming back. She whines for her mother for the first few months. She whines for the comfort and safety that Karen ensured.

But she won't remember. Unlike her big brother she's been blessed with that. She's too little to retain the first two years of her life. She won't remember how much Karen loved and cared for her. She won't remember.

But her brother and his girlfriend will make sure she never forgets. They'll remind her of the great woman that brought her into this world. They'll tell her of the good not the bad. They'll shield her from the bad because they're her caregivers now and they'll give her all their love.

* * *

><p>It's a Friday night.<p>

It's been twelve weeks and four days since she committed suicide.

Things have been hard on the young couple that were left to pick up the pieces.

They've been married four months. They're barely out of college. They had plans. Extravagant plans. They'd wanted to see the world. They'd wanted to work on their careers. They'd wanted children together.

And in a flash it had all been snatched from beneath their feet.

His father had offered to take her but Lucas had declined. He didn't trust him. He needed what was left of his Mother and Keith in the safety of his arms. He needed Lily safe.

So they'd become parents overnight and it's overwhelming.

The door opens and slams and then he hurries through the house with heavy footsteps.

The air is thick.

He's trembling and she freezes at his abrupt appearance.

Her mouth wants to ask what's wrong but her lips can't form the words.

'He did it. He killed Keith'

She has Lily on her hip and holds the child's head to her shoulder. The little girl doesn't understand but she still instinctively wants to protect the toddler from this conversation.

'Who?'

'Dan. Dan did it, Peyton'

She doesn't want to doubt him. She shouldn't doubt him but he's been distant as of late. He's been grieving. He'd lost his Uncle. He's lost his mother and now he's lost and confused himself and despite having the unfaltering love of his wife, he's struggling to see good in the world.

'Dan?' She clarifies.

'Yes, I can't believe I didn't see it before now' His eyes are large and dark.

'How do you know that Luke?' She treads carefully. She shifts her weight from foot to foot, rocking the blinking child into a peaceful slumber. Lily soothes her. Lily protects her from the darkness in his piercing gaze.

'It wasn't Jimmy. It was him. He killed him'

'How do you know that? Do you have evidence?'

'He's the reason Mum's dead. He killed Keith and his death killed her. Dan is the reason she did what she did' His words have gotten progressively louder and Peyton drifts across the room trying to shelter the little girl from his growling voice. 'Where're you going?' His frustration is clear. He's just told her something pretty damn important and she's fleeing the scene.

'I'm putting her to bed and then we'll talk' Her voice is gentle and soothing and calms the enraged look on his face.

She climbs the stairs. She opens the door to the room that is now Lily's. A crib sits in the middle of the pale pink bedroom. She'll be three in a couple of months and Peyton knows they should probably make the conversion to big girls bed but this little girl has had enough upset in her life and her crib brings comfort and safety and Peyton will be damned if she's about to take that away.

Lily stirs as she's placed onto the soft mattress and Peyton's hand flutters over her forehead. She's amazed for the love she holds for this small person. Of course she'd always doted upon her husband's sister but in a few weeks time she'll officially have joint custody and she's not scared. She's not terrified as she's anticipated. She wants it on paper because over the last few months Lily has become her baby. Hers. And she won't have anyone take her away. She prays that Lily will grow up happy. She prays that she'll be a good enough mother to this child. She prays that Lucas will not crumble because she fears that she cannot do this without his help.

She finds him in their room.

'He did it Peyton. You do believe me don't you?' His desperation tugs at her heart because she's his and he's hers and he could tell her the sky was falling and she'd follow him.

'Of course I do' She embraces him tightly. 'I just. You have no proof' She reasons.

'I know though. I just know'

'Okay'

She's scared because she doesn't want it to be true. She just wants to move on and get through this. She wants closure for him and herself. She just wants all their questions answered right here right now. But answers have consequences that perhaps neither of them are ready to hear.

'I have to find out exactly what happened. I have to get to the bottom of this'

She nods into his neck but she wants to scream no because as selfish as it is she doesn't want him to leave her alone and she fears thats exactly what will happen if he takes this further. And she needs him now. She needs him more than she's ever needed him.

She steps out of his arms and cuts him off most suddenly. 'I'm pregnant Luke'

He stares. Unblinking.

Baffled or completely deaf to her announcement, she's not entirely sure.

Her fingers coax his hand to her abdomen and she watches his eyes flutter down to where his palm now sits.

'I know this is hard. I know you're in pieces. I am too and god I know this isn't the best time what with Lily and everything-'

'We always use protection'

His mutter has her nails digging into his hand. 'I know. I didn't plan this Luke, protection isn't always full proof'

'They should put that on the fucking box' He sinks onto the bed, head in hands.

'They do' Her face crumples. She knows him. She knows that at a different time, this would most definitely not be his reaction. He'd embrace and kiss her and tell her she's just made him the happiest man on the plannet. But he can't be happy because none of it seems right anymore. There's a little girl sleeping down the hallway that should be their number one priority. 'I know this wasn't planned for now but it was the plan right? To have children together?'

He feels bad because her uncertainty is heartbreaking.

His face softens instantly because of course it was the plan. He wanted nothing more than that. He wanted everything with Peyton Sawyer Scott. He wanted the white picket fence and the three kids and the dog but those dreams had long gone out of sight in the past couple of months. His mother was dead and he was now his sisters guardian. He was too young to be dealing with this.

A tear races down her cheek and he tugs her to him, pulling her down onto his lap.

She buries her face into the crook of his neck.

'I'm sorry baby. Of course it's the plan' He rubs her back and kisses her shoulder. It's what he's always wanted. A mini her and him. 'We'll make this work, we'll figure it out. We can do it'

She prays he's right.

* * *

><p>'Good toes. Bad toes. Good toes. Bad toes'<p>

They're all wearing royal blue leotards with their hair smoothly pinned up in buns.

It's been three years. Everything's changed and yet everything's the same.

They're sat on the floor and point and flex their little ballet slipper clad feet and their young voices echo throughout the studio under the teachers guidance.

It's nearly the end of the lesson and Peyton let's her three year old daughter down and she eagerly joins the circle of little girls for the last five minutes.

Lily smiles brightly at her little niece, ushering her down beside her and directing her smaller feet into the task at hand.

'Good toes. Bad toes. Good toes. Bad toes'

Lily is six. Her hair is dark. She is her mother and she is her father. Her eyes are older than her years. Her mouth is delicate. She is pristine. Her hair still neatly in place. Her ballet slippers as pink as the day she got them. She is grace. She is clean and delicate.

Sawyer is everything her aunt is not. She's wearing one of Lily's first leotards, only it's too big and slipping off of one shoulder and her tutu is twisted around her stomach. Her slippers are discoloured with dirt and she's got one white sock tugged up around her knee and the other is scrunched up round her ankle. Her wild curly locks have broken free from her bun. She is fair. Her skin is porcelain. Her eyes are blue. She is innocence. She is youth. She refuses to take the outfit off. She is determination and she is beauty and stubborn and every bit like her mother.

'Were you watching Mummy?' Lily inquires at the end as she skips into Peyton's protective arms.

They'd tried to prevent it from happening. They'd both insistently attempted to get Lily to call them by their first names. Both of them had been so desperate not to take the place of her real mother and father. He was her brother, not her father. Only that was just by blood. In every other way they were her father and mother.

'I was watching' Peyton smiles back. 'You were beautiful sweetie'

Sawyer holds her arms out to be picked up. Peyton can't resist a smile as she dutifully lifts up the child, she knows, after all, that the three the year old hasn't got a help in hell of being the graceful child that Lily is because Lily is all Karen and Sawyer is all Peyton and she's sadly inherited her mother's lack of coordination.

And it doesn't matter because they're both perfect. They're both hers and they're her reason for breathing. They're the light amongst the dark.

The last few years haven't been easy on them. They've struggled. They've juggled parenting, finances and marriage and it's not been easy in any way.

There have been times when she's been sure they were on the brink of falling apart. But where there's been bad days there are always good and in an instant the bad are forgotten. Because she's still in love with Lucas Scott and her faith in that is what gets them through. She has enough faith for the both of them because sometimes his falters.

He's found it difficult to try and work and go through the motions of normal life when he's constantly consumed to prove his father guilty of murder. There're times when he doesn't come home for a couple of days or he stays up all night in his study and his side of the bed is left cold. She hates those nights.

They've just moved into a family home with the white picket fence and she hopes it will be different here. It's on the beach and it's idealistic. His work has been published in the last year and all of a sudden they've got a decent income but she still worries.

'Race you' Lily hollers as her mother opens the red front door.

The older child races inside stampeding up the stairs and Sawyer follows behind, whimpering that it's not fair cause she's got smaller legs.

'Change out of your ballet things Lily!' Peyton calls after her. She puts her keys on the hallway table and she smiles as she walks through the house because she never gets sick of hearing their tinkering laughter from above.

'Lucas' Her smile diminishes because he's not alright. She can see that much.

He's not meant to be here. He's meant to be at a meeting with his editor. He's meant to be working.

'What's happened?'

'I...I...' He opens and closes his mouth and she migrates closer, hands encasing his.

He's falling apart in front of her. He's nonsensical. He's consumed.

'Speak to me' She urges gently.

'She...she wrote this to me. She says she was there. She says she watched. She said Dan did it'

She looks down at his shaking hands and takes the accused article.

Her eyes skitter over the page again and again, digesting every letter.

She believes every word on the crumpled bit of paper he presents to her.

She knows it's the truth.

She knows him. She knows he's relieved and anxious and angry all at once.

She holds him.

This means something. Three long years they've waited for something. Three long years they've needed this. He's not stopped searching. Not given up for a second and it's been hard but now they've got evidence within their grasp and it means everything.

'This. This can work right?' He's so doubtful. There's been too many false leads. Too many disappointments.

'Who is she?'

He pulls away from her embrace and tugs her into his study.

His desk is a mess of papers and he haphazardly shoves the opened year book in front of her eyes.

Abby Brown.

Abby Brown.

The name rings a bell and she vaguely pictures this teenage face in her maths classes.

'Did she leave an address, a number?' Peyton looks back at the letter in her hand.

'No, but I tracked her down. She, she's in a home' His eyes are squinting and serious and she wants to smooth out the crease line on his forehead that has become a permanent fixture over the years.

She knows his answer makes things difficult. He knows it too.

'It won't matter right?' His voice wavers because this is like torture. It's always one step forward and five back. They're always struggling upstream and he just wants this to be over with. Finally. He wants to live. He wants to enjoy his family because god he loves them and he wants them to know that.

She wraps her arms around his neck and presses her forehead against his.

She tells him she loves him.

His fingers grip her tightly and then he's kissing her shoulder and making a path up her neck.

She knows where it's leading and she welcomes it because he needs this. He needs her and god she will never deny him of that.

It doesn't matter that their children are above and could potentially holler for them at any given moment because this is the only way she knows how to fix him for a short while. To take away all the pain. To release all the anger.

So she welcomes it.

He cries into her neck after and she stays against the wall, holding him tightly in her arms. She assures him they're getting somewhere. She assures him that they're on their way to getting Dan Scott put away where he well and truly belongs.

* * *

><p>This place makes him nervous. It fills him with dread.<p>

Everything is horribly white and sterile and lacking personality.

He follows the nurse down the corridor.

He's not sure what to expect.

She's sitting in the corner but she's not like the others.

He can tell that much from a single glance.

She stares at him and she is seeing and he's overwhelmed by the hope that fills him.

The nurse leaves them and he sits hesitantly in the opposite chair.

'Hello'

She doesn't answer. The doctors warned him she wouldn't answer.

'I'm Lucas' He introduces himself.

She stares at him, small beady eyes, curious and knowing all at once.

'I got your letter' He divulges.

She licks her dry lips. Words are raging behind her closed lips. Words longing to escape, words that have been imprisoned for far too long.

'I spoke to your mother, Abbey' He says gently. He is calm and soothing. He's always had this innate ability. He's always been the protective white knight. 'I'm so sorry, for everything you've been through. You don't belong in here. I know you don't'

Her eyes well up instantly and he reaches for her hand.

He reaches for her hand and she stiffens instantly and he's quick to back off with a muttered apology.

His phone bleeps and he glances down. 'I'm sorry- my wife's anxious to know how I'm getting on' He explains, ignoring the incoming call. 'You might remember her' Instead he rifles through his wallet. He produces a photograph. 'There's my wife and are two daughters, Lily and Sawyer' He indicates to the two little girls. 'Well Sawyer's ours. Lily's my sister' His eyes garner her reaction.

She's perfectly still as she absorbs the image.

'I wanted to be just like her' The words come from no where, gruff and strained.

He doesn't dare utter a word.

'Peyton right?'

He nods.

'She's even more beautiful'

He detects scorn in her husky voice.

'She's alright' He winks, jokingly. He wasn't blind, it was true, the years had been kind to Peyton Scott. She'd always been beautiful, but she now had an elegance and beauty that Lucas struggled to comprehend. She was completely out of his league, in his eyes anyhow.

She isn't smiling. This woman in the photograph has everything. She has a life. She has a family. She isn't trapped in a mental institute.

'This is his daughter?'

Lucas looses his voice for a moment. He no longer thinks of her as someone elses. He thinks of her as his own.

'Lily is Keith's daughter' He affirms eventually.

She nods. More tears arise in her eyes and he feels a connection because this young woman before him understands his pain and anguish.

'Abbey' He reaches for her hand again and this time she doesn't flinch. 'Why're you in here?' He wonders. He sees it's not real. She's not what would be classified as mentally insane. 'Why don't you speak?'

'It's safer in here' She confesses.

His stomach turns. He knows that day affected a lot of people. Turned lives upside down but he'd been consumed enough not to notice the others. Consumed by his own loss. But it wasn't just him. It was Jimmy's family. Jimmy's friends. It was Abbey Brown.

Governed by fear, isolating herself within these walls.

'Did he come to you?' He wonders aloud. 'Dan Scott?' He gets his name out quickly.

Her eyes flicker and she brings her legs up onto the chair, curling her body up.

It's answer enough for him.

'Dan can't hurt you Abbey. Not if you come forward. You can end this. You can clear Jimmy's name. You can free yourself from this place'

She rests her head on her knees.

'I'm scared'

He swallows. 'I'm scared too. But I'm tired of feeling that. Aren't you? We can fight him. We can win. But I need your help. Will you help me?'

It takes forever for her to answer. He's almost about to succumb to the darkness once more because he won't try to persuade her. She doesn't deserve to be hassled or harmed anymore than she already has.

But then her head rises and she looks up at him, brown serious eyes. 'Okay'

* * *

><p>The door is open and she pauses in the corridor before walking in.<p>

He's there, right before her and a chill runs down her spine. The mayor of Tree Hill. Dan Scott.

Her husband's father. Her father-in-law. Her daughter's Grandad.

Only he's not. He's not any of those things. Because they've not allowed it. He's been banished from their lives and begrudgingly he's accepted over the years.

'Peyton' His smile is one of surprise.

She shudders because he's not the man he plays the part of. He may have the whole town fooled but not them.

'It's so good to see you' He stands and walks out from behind her desk but stops approaching when she takes a little step back.

'I'm not here for a family catch up Dan' She states bluntly.

'Of course not' He sighs. 'I must admit, I was hoping when my receptionist let me know you were here that you may have the children with you' His eyes are taunting her with their lies.

'Haley may think it alright to indulge you with images of Jamie but you will never ever lay eyes on my children'

'Child, Peyton' He corrects. 'You have one child'

She grits her teeth together but says nothing.

'What do I owe the pleasure of you coming here today then?' He leans back against his desk and holds his hands out.

'I need you to sign this'

'And what is this?' He scans over the papers she hands him.

'We're selling her house. Your name is on the will. You have to sign this otherwise-'

'Your selling it?' He grabs a pen from the inside of his pocket.

'Its time to let go' It's taken them a long time to come to this decision. It resembled Karen in every way but Lucas hadn't stepped foot inside since the day she'd died. Couldn't.

She's surprised with the ease that his name is scrawled along the indicated line. 'You're signing it' She states dumbly. She'd expected a fight.

'Of course' He shrugs. 'It was never mine, it was Lucas' and yours and I have no need for it. You should have done this a long time ago, you would have been able to afford that lovely house of yours sooner' He hands her back the documents. 'It really doesn't have to be this way Peyton. We could all be a family'

She's startled by how effortless this has been. She blinks and stuffs the papers back in her bag. Her stiff and astute posture returns. They can't be a family. Never.

'You killed Keith, Dan. You may be able to delude yourself and the rest of this town but you won't ever have us'

His calm expression dissolves. 'Come now, we both know Lucas has become so obsessed with finding some plausible reasoning behind Keith's death, that he thinks I'm interlinked. He's driving himself to insanity, you must see that. When will you wake up Peyton? You're the ones that are deluded? I'm innocent'

She shakes her head in disbelief.

'I'm his wife. I trust him'

'You think I'm capable of-'

'You know things were good for a while, he'd let Keith's death go. But then when Karen... it all began again. The sleepless nights, the ongoing investigating' She runs her hand through her hair. 'He was so certain that you had something to do with it'

'You know I-'

'He was so convinced that I finally decided to help him. I spent so much time refusing to allow myself to fully believe anything he said but it was tearing him apart and us. We found everyone that was in that building that day. Until Abby Brown. She's in a psychiatric ward. Apparently she screamed solidly for forty eight hours before they admitted her three and a half years ago. She hasn't spoken a word since-'

'So you have some crazy girl on your side'

'I remember her, she was never mentally unstable-'

'Things develop Peyton, you're not so naive-'

'No, I'm not, I'm not so naive to believe a fucking word that you say. They've not been able to get a straight word out of her mouth for over three years but Lucas went there and she spoke to her.'

She watches Dan's face pale.

'We've got someone who can testify. We have evidence Dan. So you better make the most of the time you have left because it won't be long now'

She sees it. She sees the fear.

And then she leaves and she scorns herself because while satisfying to see him squirm, she knows she should have kept her mouth shut.

Lucas isn't happy when she returns home and asks where she's been.

'Are you out of your fucking mind?' His hands grip her shoulders as he pushes her against the wall. 'What the hell, Peyton! You don't do that. You can't just go wandering into _his_ office by yourself!'

'Jesus, calm down, Luke. He was at work. He couldn't do anything. Besides you would have if I hadn't' she reminds him, eyes wide and stubborn.

'Don't' He warns.

Her brow furrows fiercely.

'Get your hands off me' She whines and he ignores her, instead pushing his face so close that his breath whispers over her pouting lips.

'Don't tell me to calm down, don't make this about me. We're talking about you. You don't get to_ fucking _risk your life like that. He's dangerous'

He wants to scream at her some more because her face is indifference. She's so infuriating sometimes. She turns him into this crazed lunatic. He stops gripping her arms so tightly, instead slamming her against his chest, cocooning her in his arms. Safe. Where she belongs. His head rests in the crook of her neck and he inhales her sweet smell. 'Just don't do that Peyton' he pleads hoarsely. 'I can't loose you. The girls can't loose you.'

'And I can't loose you' Her hands automatically find their way around his broad shoulders and into the hair at the back of his neck.

'I'm sorry' She apologies because he's shaking and the last thing she ever wanted was to put him through more stress. 'I didn't mean to frighten you' Even though if she had the choice, she'd without a doubt do it again because she knows that if he ever enters the same room as Dan Scott again he'll do something stupid and she won't let him risk his life because if he gets hurt she'll be broken. Indefinitely.

'Promise me you'll stay away from him'

'Only if you do too' She compromises.

He knows this was her intention all along because she's a devious thing and when she wants something she darn well gets it.

He surrenders.

'Fine. I promise'

* * *

><p>It's started. The demise of Dan Scott.<p>

Inquiries are taking place. Forgotten investigations are being brought back into light.

There's an enthralling hum in their house. The darkness that surrounds Lucas Scott is disappearing and it shows. It shows in his eyes, it shows in the way he picks the girls up and swings them around, it shows as he reads them bedtime stories and takes them all out for the day. It shows when he crawls into bed every night, crawls between her legs and kisses her and tells her he loves her.

Peyton hasn't felt this happy in a long time.

She's standing in the kitchen. She's making a cake. It's Karen's birthday today and it's become their tradition, a tradition for Lily more than anyone. They light candles and sing and look at photos. They remember her on this day.

Peyton spreads the icing over the sponge. The children are in the garden and she smiles when she hears their laughter.

'Look at you, playing the part of the housewife'

She jumps. The knife in her hand clatters to the floor as she spins around.

Dan Scott.

'You're not welcome here' She exhales, swallowing and taking a little step back as he approaches her.

'What? No hug?' His smile drops into an exaggerated pout. 'Why so glum Peyton? We're family, shouldn't you be oh so happy to see me?'

'You're not welcome here' She repeats. Her heart is beating wildly in her chest.

'Where is he?'

Her eyes are wide, they are saying Lily and Sawyer. Lily and Sawyer. Lily and Sawyer. Their small voices are fluttering through the open french doors. She prays for their safety.

'Where is he?' The question is spat at her again.

'Lucas isn't here' She answers calmly but she's anything but calm. Her palms are sweating and she's screaming inside. 'Dan you should go'

His face is red and his hair is damp and a weeks worth of facial hair sits on his chin.

He's finally been corrupted by his sins.

Gone is the calculated, smooth man.

His sanity has been eaten away by his crimes. Evil has completely consumed him. He can do nothing to fix his wrongs. He's on a pathway to hell and there is no turning back.

'He's gone insane Peyton. You must know'

She knows her husband has been out of sorts at times over the last few years but the last thing he is is insane.

'He's making wild accusations. He has no evidence and yet-'

'He has evidence' She can't bite her tongue. She knows he's just trying to rile a reaction from her and yet words still spill from her mouth. 'You know it too. The police have reopened the case. They've come to you haven't they? Abbey has given a statement and they're going to arrest you- it's all a matter of time' She says harshly. 'You killed Keith and you taunted that poor girl to keep quiet. You put her in that home, you did that to her. You instilled that mind numbing fear into her bones'

He grins menacingly. 'It's my word against hers'

She shakes her head. 'You can't talk your way out of everything Dan. There's only so many lies a person can get away with'

His jaw tenses, his taunting grin is gone. He strides forward. 'I know who you are Peyton Sawyer'

'It's Peyton Scott' She corrects vehemently.

He sniggers. 'You don't think I know your type?' He navigates his way around the kitchen island. His manic eyes urging her feet backwards. Her gaze warily jolts through the open doors.

'Does Mr Bear want tea?' A teddy bear's picnic is in procession and Peyton has never been more glad that the children are well engrossed in their game.

Her back hits the wall.

'You're just like her you know' His voice is thick and she can smell whisky on his breath as each word hits her lips. 'You'd think Lucas would learn from his father's mistakes but he's just repeating history over' His hands are on the wall either side of her and she grimaces at his intrusion of her personal space. 'You're just like her'

She knows who _her _is. She knows who he's referring to.

'If I'm likened to Karen in anyway, that's something I'm proud of' She hisses back, her voice inevitably trembling.

'You're proud?' He snickers. 'Proud to be a slut. That's funny'

She's had enough of his close proximity. She attempts to side step round him but his big hands encase her small forearms, slamming her back against the wall.

She gasps.

This isn't good. She knows this isn't good. She knows she needs to get out.

'Lucas will see' He whispers darkly into her ear. 'Eventually he'll realise. In good time he'll see what a fool you make of him'

'I love my husband' She exclaims. Dainty hands push against his hard chest with futility.

'You're such a good actress' His nose is perversely brushing against her cheek and she can't breathe and fear suddenly sinks into her chest. 'I knew when you were sixteen. When you toyed with Nathan, like she toyed with me'

She laughs because he really is delusional. 'Karen didn't toy with you Dan. She loved you. You toyed with her. You knocked up another girl. You chose Deb'

She feels like she's sixteen again. She's sitting at the Scott dinner table. Her boyfriend's father is at the end. His hand brushes her leg beneath the table cloth. She convinces herself it's a mistake but she doesn't like the way he looks at her. She knows he'd never try anything, he wouldn't put his good name in harms way.

She's not so convinced any longer. She's not a teenager. She's a grown woman and he's far too close for comfort and her skin is crawling.

'What happened Dan?' She bravely asks. 'She didn't commit suicide did she?'

He's clearly startled by her question. His head jerks back to look her in the eye.

All these years he's been banned from this house. He's been eradicated from their family because they were certain he killed his own brother.

He'd denied it on countless occasions but never had they accused him of Karen and it throws him.

'Karen wouldn't do that. Not to Lily' She swallows thickly. 'She found out the truth didn't she? She found out that you killed Keith didn't she?' It's something that's been whirling around her mind for a while now. She's not brought it up. Lucas was distracted enough as it was, trying to get to the bottom of Keith's death. He'd had it right all along. Dan was responsible. Only he was responsible for more than he knew. Even if her mother in law had been in the worst of places mentally, Peyton was certain she'd never have taken her own life. Never have given up her beautiful daughter.

Despite her uncooperative, trembling body, her face stays fierce as she stares into his wild eyes.

'You. Killed. Her' She accuses, her voice a growled whisper. 'You killed him and Karen realised it too-'

'You don't know what you're getting yourself into Peyton'

'You killed her' Tears trail down her cheeks. Because she's scared. She knows what this man is capable of and she knows at any given second he could suck the life from her. He's stronger and she's got no chance in hell.

'It was an accident' He growls. 'She wouldn't listen'

'So what? You drove her into the lake-'

'She was dead before then' He laughs humourlessly. 'I-I, she fell down the stairs'

'Fell?'

'I pushed her and she fell'

Peyton blinks. 'Where was Lily?'

'In bed'

Tears race silently down her cheek. The lump in the back of her throat has her gulping. She can see Karen's wide eyes.

'Get your fucking hands off of her' Lucas' voice booms.

It startles them both.

She's never heard him so crazed. Her eyes jerk to him and her frightened eyes get impossibly louder.

He has a gun.

'Luke!' Peyton exclaims. 'Where did you get that?'

'Let her go'

'Put it down' She berates. 'For god sake put it down'

'Listen to your wife Lucas' Dan suggests. 'We don't want anyone to get hurt' His hold on her tightens and she whimpers.

'Get your fucking hands off of her'

'Or what? You're going to shoot me?' He looks amused. 'We both know if you were going to do that you would've done it a long time ago. You're not man enough' He snickers.

Lucas' hand shakes and Peyton's stomach turns as the sound of the trigger is pulled back.

'Luke' She shakes her head. It can't end like this. It can't. 'Please'

'You killed my Mother?' His voice trembles.

Dan doesn't answer. Doesn't need to. He knows Lucas overheard. He knows.

Instead of feeling aggrieved as he's sure he should, Lucas is relieved. Relieved. All these years he'd thought his mother took her own life. Thought she'd willingly abandoned him and his sister. He's spent all this time being furious at her but now, now it makes sense.

'The police are on there way' He spits. Justice will finally be served. 'I could kill you right now, right here and claim self defence'

'Lucas for god sake stop it' Peyton whimpers.

'I'm not going to do that though. It would be too easy, I'm not going to let you get away so easily'

Sirens can be heard and Peyton can finally breathe.

'Daddy'

Everyone's eyes focus on the two little girls in the doorway.

The gun is instantly lowered.

He could escape. But he doesn't try. Because brown eyes. His brothers brown eyes are staring at him and it breaks him.

Everything happens so quickly there after. Police are through the door the next moment.

Peyton is released and the four of them watch as Dan Scott is restrained.

He's holding Lily and She's holding Sawyer and his free hand is interlocked tightly with hers.

'Who is that man?' Lily holds onto him fiercely.

'He's done some bad things and he's going to jail' He won't tell her anything more. She doesn't need the entire truth. Not yet. Not until she's ready and when the day comes they'll hold her as they tell her of the evil things her uncle is responsible for, that he's responsible for her mother and father's death and she'll get through it because she's got two wonderful parents that adore her.

* * *

><p>Their laughter is like honey and it makes him warm.<p>

He watches as they play together.

They're like sisters. They are sisters. They've been brought up as sisters.

Lily is patient and kind and she surrenders all the best shells into Sawyer's smaller hands. They make pictures in the sand and they sing songs. They run back and forth along the shoreline as the sun pours down. The seven year old grasps the younger child's fingers in her own when she gets scared of the breaking waves.

Peyton puts hats on their heads and sun cream on their delicate skin. She smiles with them and kisses them and hugs them and loves them.

She is their mother and she is perfect.

He's finally found inner peace. He has the answers, he is free.

He lost his family, lost his mother, father and uncle but he's found the one that was right in front of him the whole time. He watches them. They are love and they are happiness and they are his and they are his everything. They are his family.


End file.
